From the Father of Lights - Part 2

James 1:16-18
February 14, 2021
Abraham Hong

Sermon Script

Dear Highland, God loves you. You are beloved by him. And God does not want you to be deceived. He does not want you to be deceived about who he is. And he does not want you to be deceived about what he has done.

This is important. As we go through trials of various kinds and as our faith is put to the test, we might believe in certain things about God that are actually not true. We might think to ourselves: “God does not care about me,” or “What if all of this is not true and therefore not worth it,” or “I do not think it is possible to have joy right now.” We can be deceived.

But don’t be. Don’t be deceived. Listen to the following three truths.

Truth #1. God does actually care about you. We know this because your salvation was his idea.

Notice what James says in the beginning of verse 18: “Of his own will he brought us forth.” This is a comforting gospel truth. God saved you. God brought you forth. You were spiritually born again. And that was God’s will. It was his own will, not yours. Your salvation was his idea, not your idea. God ordained your salvation in eternity. Before Genesis 1:1, before he created anything, God made a covenant of redemption. He planned it all out for you to be saved from sin and death. He decided it. He decreed it. And then, in the fullness of time, he did it. God brought your forth. Of his own will, God saved you.

Dear Highland, remember this truth when you go through trials and tests in life. You may think that God does not care about you. But you are wrong. Do not be deceived. God cares about you. It was his own will that you would repent of your sins and believe in Jesus. It was his own will that you would be sanctified. It was his own will that you would go through trials and tests and share in the suffering of Jesus. Tesla is one of the greatest and most important companies of our time. Who cares about Tesla the most?Elon Musk. The one who created the idea of it. The one who brought it forth of his own will. We have many cute little babies in our church. Who cares about them the most (besides God)? Their parents. Their parents who of their own will feed them and change their diapers everyday. Their parents who of their own will bring them forth. Dear Highland, your heavenly Father, the Father of lights, brought you forth of his own will. He cares for you. Your salvation was his idea. This is wisdom.

Truth #2. All of this is absolutely true and totally worth it. We know this because Jesus really came, and he really lived, and he really died, and he really rose again from the dead, and he really ascended into heaven - and he really is coming back soon.

Notice what James says in the middle of verse 18: “Of his own will … he brought us forth by the word of truth.” This is an assuring gospel truth. The Father saved you by giving you his Son. Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus is God, the second person of the Triune God. And he is real. Many people witnessed his incarnation and his life. Many people saw him die and resurrect and ascend. Everything that you read in the Bible is true and factual and historical and documented. Jesus is the word. Jesus is the truth. And you were brought forth, you were saved, because of who he really was and what he really did.

Dear Highland, remember this truth when you go through trials and tests in life. You may think that all of this is not true and therefore not worth it. But you are wrong. Do not be deceived. All of this is true and all of this is worth it. Jesus really did heal the sick and the blind and the lame. Jesus really was mocked and spat upon and slapped and struck. Jesus really suffered and bled and took wrath and hell and died. And as a result of Jesus’ salvation, many believers loved him and suffered and died for his sake. They were able to go through the worst because they knew the truth. They read their Bibles; they read God’s word. They believed in Jesus. Everything about Jesus was and is and always will be true. This is wisdom.

Truth #3. It is fully possible to have joy right now. We know this because you are a part of something special.

Notice what James says in the end of verse 18: “Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, … that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” This is an amazing gospel truth. The first crops of food that a farmer gets from his field of harvest is called the firstfruits. Jesus is the chief firstfruit. When he resurrected from the dead and ascended into heaven, he began the new creation, he launched the new creation, he cornerstoned the new creation, he inaugurated the new creation. You are united with Christ. You are a part of God’s firstfruits. You are a part of the new creation. You are a new creation.

Dear Highland, remember this truth when you go through trials and tests in life. You may not think that it is possible to have joy right now. But you are wrong. Do not be deceived. You can have joy right now. God has made you new. Your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life, is being put off. And your new self, which is created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness, is being put on. You are changing. You are growing. There is great joy in knowing this. A gardener puts in hard work as a garden is planted and taken care of. But the gardener finds great joy in the bloom of new life. A Christian will go through trials and tests in life. But the Christian finds great joy in the sanctification of new life. Your heavenly Father, the Father of lights, is teaching you and training you to be children of light. You are a part of something special. You are a part of the new creation; you are a new creation. This is wisdom.

In closing, I hope that you are encouraged today. God does care about you. All of this is true and worth it. It is possible to have joy right now. Do not be deceived. Thanks be to our Father of lights for his word today. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all.

Soli Deo Gloria